The present invention concerns a case able to be worn on the wrist by means of a wristband or bracelet and including a keyboard supported, neither by the case, nor by the wristband but associated therewith. The keyboard includes keys allowing data to be entered into a processing unit contained in the case also including a display device for displaying the data entered or the result of a particular processing operation, and a power source for powering the electronic components. This portable case preferably takes the form of a wristwatch.
Since the wristwatch has become an almost indispensable accessory in daily life, and is thus permanently worn on the wrist, it has been sought to incorporate other functions, which have become as indispensable to the user as knowing the time, in the watch. Thus, additional operating devices have been incorporated in the wristwatch case, for example providing a calculator, compass, thermometer, biological (for example heart rate) or telephone function and many others. In certain cases, it is possible to initialise the processing unit for one of these functions by pressing on a single push-button, for example to pass from a time display mode to the heart rate display. In other cases, for example passing into calculator or telephone mode, a larger number of different pressure zones is required, i.e. a keyboard. The keys of the keyboard were first placed on rigid extensions of the wristband, and then, in order to make them more ergonomic, on the wristband strands close to the case. U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,801 discloses an electronic watch including a calculator having a wristband with links including, on one side, raised keys for the figures, and on the other side, raised keys for the calculator function. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,074 the same wristband strand carries all the keys of the calculator. All the keys are connected to a central processing unit located inside the case by a strip of conductive wires, passing from one link to another eventually to pass through the case. In a construction of this type, it is clear that there is a risk of the strip of conductive wires deteriorating when the wristband is twisted and especially when it is pulled when the wristband is being secured to the wrist, or conversely when it is being removed. Even though certain devices have been proposed to connect the keys easily to the processing unit, and thus to allow a worn wristband-keyboard to be replaced, this constitutes an extra cost to the user much greater than that of a simple wristband. It will also be observed that the raised keys are exposed to numerous external strains, such as friction or shocks for example when the user puts his wrist on a table. It will be noted finally that a visible keyboard reveals the complexity and thus the value of the object worn on the wrist but is of a worrying aesthetic appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,039 discloses a flexible wristband formed of two elastomer strips sandwiching contactors whose location and functions are printed on the upper strip. Thus there are no longer hinged links, nor raised keys, which removes some of the aforementioned drawbacks. This proposed construction does not however provide a solution to the risk of breakage of the conductive wires linking the contactors, when the wristband is pulled, and the aesthetic appearance has been only slightly improved.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art by providing a case able to be secured to the wrist by means of a wristband which has no keyboard, but which is also used to protect and conceal a subjacent keyboard allowing alphanumerical and/or functional data to be entered into a processing unit contained in the case.
The invention therefore concerns a portable case including means for attaching a wristband to a wrist and means for connecting a flexible support of a keyboard bearing alphanumerical characters or function signs corresponding for example to a calculator keyboard or a simplified computer keyboard. The keyboard is connected inside the case to a data processing unit controlling a display device allowing characters, supplied by the processing unit, to be displayed on a dial of the case, the electric power for the electronic components of said display device and processing unit being provided by a power source.
The case is characterised in that the flexible support for the keyboard is connected on one side of said case while its length substantially corresponds to the size of the wrist outline, and in that the wristband totally covers the keyboard while being provided with fixed locking means diametrically opposite the means for connecting the keyboard and removable locking means located in proximity to said connection.
In a preferred embodiment, the case is a watchcase also containing a movement allowing time functions to be displayed on the dial in an analogue or digital manner. When the wristwatch is worn on the wrist, the keyboard is completely concealed and protected and the wristwatch has the appearance of all wristwatches, which allows many variations from the aesthetic point of view. When one wishes to use its additional function, for example the calculator or computer function, one has simply to remove it from the wrist, place it on a flat surface and unfold the wristband on one side and the keyboard on the other.